Artist's 'cows' grace field next to YMCA

Wednesday

On a field next to the Hilliard Ray Patch Family YMCA on Cosgray Road, several multi-color cows stand in the grass.

On a field next to the Hilliard Ray Patch Family YMCA on Cosgray Road, several multi-color cows stand in the grass.

The cows, made of wood, are painted on both sides and are four feet tall, eight inches long. David Patch, who owns the land, worked with friend and artist Greg Ackers to create 11 cows.

Patch said the cows were built to bring some art to the site and promote a develop he plans there.

Ackers previously created the cityscape at City Center, the Union Station Trains mural in the Short North and the Franklinton mural.

Ackers said he and Patch met several times to come up with the idea of cows.

"We met like five times and came up with this. I mentioned creating dolphins jumping up and down thru the field. But that didn't have any relevance, so we did cows because the area used to be a dairy farm," Ackers said.

Patch said the dairy farm was where his grandfather, Ray Patch, grew up. David Patch donated most of the land to the YMCA, saving 10 acres for himself.

Patch said the cows earlier went missing when they were stolen.

"It seems the first few days they were all 'grazing in the field,' someone got the idea to steal the herd. Some were found in a neighboring yard," Patch said. He said the rest were later found or replaced.

Ackers said people in the neighborhood love the cows.

"I've had people go out there and take pictures of the cows. It's actually gained some good reviews from the neighbors and I think that's a great thing," Ackers said.

Patch said the cows serve several purposes. He said he wants the art to make people happy and to remind the public about the past.

"It is a way for me to help some folks remember their own roots or that this area was once full of farms, animals and life," Patch said. "We tend to forget the past as we all move forward and only see big streets, housing projects, etc."

The biggest purpose of the cows is to generate buzz in a potential development on the site called Patch Plaza. Patch is developing the idea through his business, SAGE (Set a Good Example) Cosgray Development. He said he's using the cows to grab the attention of the public and potential tenants.

Zoning has been approved for up to 120,000 square feet of retail and office space.

"I am looking to get some tenants signed up and would begin construction as soon as that can happen," he said. "We've had interest."

The initial buildings will be about 18,000 square feet. Retail space would range in size from 1,400 to 6,000 square feet. Office space would range from 500 to over 4,500 square feet, according to his Web site, www.patchplaza.com.

Patch said he worked with Lupton Rausch Architecture and Interior Design, Columbus, to come up with the original drawings and concept of what he was looking for. Patch also worked with Mark Ford of Ford & Associates Architects, Columbus, to develop those ideas into working architectural drawings.

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